PSA Peugeot Citroën has unveiled its latest eco-friendly technology offering. The Air Hybrid powertrain will see the company’s compact offerings edge towards the 2 L/100 km car when it goes into production in 2016.

The Air Hybrid powertrain takes the hybrid concept a step further by incorporating a three-cylinder petrol motor with compressed air, a hydraulic motor pump and an automatic transmission with a planetary gear setup (a cyclic gear arrangement noted for its compact dimensions and enhance power transfer efficiency).

The engineers at PSA Peugeot Citroën have not gone into the exact workings of the system but the video below shows a system that appears to use pressurised air to drive a hydraulic pump powering the front wheels.

All that can currently be ascertained is that the system on show incorporated three drive settings; gasoline power, combined power (petrol and air), and Z.E.V (air and regenerative braking).

Initial tests suggest that by applying this system to compact cars such as the Peugeot 208 and Citroën C3 could realise average fuel consumption figures of 2,9 L/100 km with CO2 emissions of around 69 g/km. City driving in Air mode could, in theory, make this drivetrain a zero-emissions proposition.

PSA Peugeot Citroën is keen to implement this technology in a selection of its B-segment vehicles by 2016.

Other innovative eco-friendly technologies under development at PSA Peugeot Citroën include:

– EMP2: the company’s new global modular platform set to reduce production costs and associated production emissions.

– Eco Hybrid: a more accessible diesel/electric hybrid drivetrain earmarked for the company’s B-, C- and D segments capable of realising 15 per cent reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.

– VelV: a light city electric vehicle designed to meet city and suburban driving needs with a power consumption level of just 85 Wh/km.

I found it a little funny reading this article on an air powered car, because I remember something like that being ither in your magazine or on the news in South Africa some years ago, if meory serves it was planned for release in South Africa, please see if you can find that information and add it to this article